The US president was hailed by a host of positive headlines and editorials after a day of talks with Israeli leaders that aimed to ease their fears about American friendship and wipe the slate clean after several years of tense relations.

Sima Kadmon, writing in the mass circulation Yedioth Ahronoth, said Israelis had been wooed by Mr Obama's humour and friendliness.

"A bit of informality, a joke or a gentle tease, a few words in Hebrew, and we are immediately filled with great love for the man who looks for a moment as if he likes us," she wrote.

But beneath the praise there was trepidation, with several commentators forecasting that Mr Obama's outpouring of warmth was intended to soften Israel up for concessions to Palestinians in the peace process while disguising serious differences over how to tackle Iran's nuclear programme.

Sima Kadmon (Yedioth Ahronoth): It is important that we understand the reasons for this friendly visit. Obama is here for one reason: To build up a stock of positive attitude, of trust, for the developments that lie ahead.

For if he intends to push Netanyahu into a peace initiative this will not happen without trust.

Shalom Yerushalmi in Ma'ariv: President Barack Obama came to settle in people's hearts, and succeeded in doing so. He did this in his special way smiling, gentlemanly, patiently, informally.

Obama did not miss an opportunity in his statements to strengthen the alliance between the US and Israel, just as we like to hear.

But we should make no mistake, there are no free gifts and no gestures without interests Obama wrapped the differences of opinion in cellophane, but the debate is real, even existential.

Simon Shiffer (Yedioth Ahronoth): Beyond the gestures that were made for the cameras, the most important part of the visit occurred in the meeting between Obama and Netanyahu.

On the Iranian issue, the Israeli side presented its most current intelligence so as to prove that Iran has not been impressed by the pressure that has been applied on it to date.

Obama argues that diplomacy might still persuade the Iranian regime to stop its race towards a nuclear bomb.

Netanyahu, conversely, suggested to the American president that he capitalize on the next number of months until the elections in Iran to intensify the sanctions and to impose a naval blockade.